How would you change the iPhone?

We wanted to wait until the dust had settled a little bit and the legions of faithful got some time to adjust to their new best friend before asking the inevitable question about such a high profile device, and now feels like the right moment to end the honeymoon and really start tearing into the iPhone like the true vultures that we are. You're obviously well aware of what we think of the little bugger by now (almost all of us, in fact) and many of you have already opined on the matter in one of our innumerable posts over the past few weeks, but for the sake of future generation of robots downloading and synthesizing our archives, let's assemble these gripes together here in this one handy post.

Right off the bat, we'll get the obvious candidates out of the way and save everyone some time: give us 3G, a physical keyboard, and for all that is good and right in the world, a little A2DP action so that we could actually cut the wire once and for all (well, those of you non-WinMo users, anyway). Those are just the biggies, and we know that there are a lot more out there (we're looking at you, missing MMS), so have at em...

[Brad @ Jul 8th 2007 4:51PM]

GPS!

[Alex @ Jul 8th 2007 4:56PM]

good call. the maps function would be soooo much better if instead of searching for "chinese restaurant (insert city here)" you could just say "nearest chinese restaurant"

and i dont really agree with the lack of physical keyboard being a problem. sure, its not quite as good for typing long emails but its fine for SMS and its part of what makes the thing so slick to use.

[Zoe Blatter @ Jul 8th 2007 6:59PM]

Oh my gosh. I dont see what everybody is freaking out about with no physical keyboard. True, i am an 18 year old, mac obsessed guy that would love anything that came out of Apple, but i love that software keyboard. Its also true that i've never used a small physical keyboard, but the auto correction is just amazing and i dont see how you could implement all of its fancy programming on a physical keyboard. after only a few hours of use, i was able to get some remarkable speed going and was using 2 thumbs. I think the trick is to really trust the keyboard, which is weird, but if you just dont think about it, its right more than 90% of the time in my experience.

[Unregistered @ Jul 8th 2007 8:07PM]

I agree. There was an article in the NYT abt how thw writer plans to return his iPhone before the week is up. One of the reason was that he was trying to use it to look for carpark with unoccupied spots, and Google maps' images aren't real time.

Like duh, is that iPhone's or Google Maps' fault at all.

Stupid is as stupid does.

[David Forsythe @ Jul 8th 2007 9:22PM]

I love the virtual keyboard. I'm typing on it right now and it works great!

[jordan @ Jul 8th 2007 10:30PM]

Yes, GPS would be nice..
Along with 3G.. And no AT&T

As for the storage debate.. Sure, or course they could shove 32GB of flash memory into the iPhone. And I am sure that the employees at Apple thought about that option. However, they do not want to chip away at iPod sales. They want the iPhone to do well, and considering that the iPod nano is one of the best selling MP3 players in the world, space is obviously not a large issue in the MP3 Player market..

Its not a matter of possibility, its a matter of business.. If you need lots of storage, you should get a 6th gen ipod.. Thats what iPods are for!

[Ivan @ Jul 8th 2007 11:25PM]

@ Unregistered ... I think the point is not that its Apple's or Google's fault (technically it is Apple's fault but we'll put that aside for now), the point is that it doesn't do what he'd like. Shock, I know.

[Anthony @ Jul 9th 2007 1:51AM]

FYI, if your looking for restaurants, you don't need to type the city, just be zoomed in on the area you want it to search. No GPS needed.

As for what it needs:
Let me turn the screen/keyboard ANYTIME, not just for typing in browser. SO much better typing.
Open SDK.
Make it less slippery (forced to get a case basically).
MUCH louder ringtones and stronger vibrate feature.
Bluetooth file transfer.
Bluetooth keyboard and be able to edit documents
Enable disk use. If I have 8 gigs in my pocket why can't I use it?.
My music/clips as ringtones. Heck, limit to 30 sec portions for all I care.

[Ireland @ Jul 9th 2007 10:17AM]

OK, so I think the iPhone is the coolest phone ever, which is why I want them to add my list of things to make a cool thing, even better.

1. Cheaper price, the sooner the better.
2. Bigger Flash storage, the sooner the better.
3. Landscape keyboard and landscape functionality on ALL iPhone apps.
4. 3rd party onboard games.
5. Make ringtone feature.
6. Adobe Flash in Safari.
7. Pay-as-you-go, i.e. no contract with a monthly unlimited data plan for $20.
8. 3MP camera.
9. 3G for Europe.

[Nick @ Jul 9th 2007 10:34AM]

@Anthony

Okay technically it doesn't do what the idiot wants it to do.. still not their fault that he purchased it with out really understanding anything about technology. Does any devices have up to minute live satelite photo feeds.. so that you can see what spaces are open at the car park?? I dont think you can blame that Apple or Google.. thats not how those services work and they never said that it did that.

[Max Goedjen @ Jul 8th 2007 4:52PM]

You forgot the biggest thing for me: A hard drive.

[Ant @ Jul 8th 2007 7:54PM]

Yep, 4 - 8 gig very, very poor. However I think they are covering their backs. You can't tell me they couldn't physically put more in there, you can get 4gig microSD cards now, its hardly takin up the room. They must be thinking about the 6th gen iPod, thats one of the killer features, a massive hard drive(s), I recon top line two 60gig 2inch drives back-to-back. The iPhone needed the iPod feature as a selling point but they ain't forgetin the iPod is the real daddy here. Phones are one thing (contracts, networks, an ongoing paying out thing), but mutli media players are another. 6th gen will rule with Multi Touch and storage, aslong as they include a real little click wheel like you get on the remotes, lol.

[Matt @ Jul 8th 2007 8:13PM]

I agree. Have you seen the 80GB iPod? It's thicker than the first and second generation units. I'm all for shiny and slim hardware, but honestly, give that iPhone a bit of a butt, and bust up the battery and memory sizes. You could fit another 32GB of flash in there and triple the size of the battery and it still wouldn't be the size or weight of my HTC 8125 (which I just sold on ebay. I'm very dependent on 3G for my job here)

[Paul Chan @ Jul 8th 2007 8:14PM]

well having a hard drive would not only make the iphone bigger, but it would seriosuly drain the battery life of it. why do u think curretn video ipods have such low playback time, mainly due to the hard drive!

[Ryan Buchanan @ Jul 8th 2007 9:03PM]

You don't need a hard drive. Get bigger flash storage.

[Jordan Perr @ Jul 8th 2007 10:48PM]

I actually do think that they should add more flash memory. Even though it would eat away at the ~30GB iPod sales, hell, it's still technically an "iPod." So apple could keep its iPod market share up.. I kinda see why they only put in 8GB, but I still wish it was more.. If it was, I would probably get one.. My library is only 20GB, so a 32GB model would be great.. but then I would not buy an iPod 6G!


I am looking forward to a WiFi enables iPod 6G.. With "full" safari, google maps, youtube.. All the iPhone stuff.. Minus the phone and edge! (good riddance!)

[David Eilers @ Jul 9th 2007 12:57AM]

Yes, more memory... here's a thought... a companion HD with its own battery and bluetooth connectivity. Same iPhone, just if you needed all that extra memory (and weight) at times, you just have to have the iHDpod someplace on/around you. The iHDpod could be a cheaper, screenless device. Or Apple could solve their dilemma of cutting into iPod sales by making your iPod connect and share/stream its content with the iPhone. Kind of an expensive, somewhat redundant combo, but isn't the expensive part what Apple would find attractive?

[AdamFedoruk @ Jul 9th 2007 9:43PM]

ew. no.
hardrive = more battery usage & more problem-prone.
flash memory is where device storage is going.
it does just fine.

[zach rattner @ Jul 8th 2007 4:52PM]

I like the no physical keyboard move. Multi-touch is awesome and I'd love to see it take over the mouse in future computers. I'd like to see a larger capacity SSD though.

[Darnell @ Jul 8th 2007 5:07PM]

I too think the virtual keypad is a good move though I would want landscape mode available on all apps. Other than that, I'd like to see:

texting. Video. Flash. Office. 3-year Apple warranty.

[jude @ Jul 8th 2007 6:36PM]

yeah, I don't mind the keyboard at all. took four or five days to get used to, but I can type pretty damn fast on it now...... definitely a landscape option for all functions would be nice....

[Chris @ Jul 8th 2007 6:37PM]

Just an FYI, the virtual keyboard does not use multi-touch technology.

[Andy Shafer @ Jul 8th 2007 7:11PM]

I don't know why Engadget writers are all about the physical keyboard. It's all about the malleable touch-screen. I have an iPhone, and I've used a Blackjack and other "hard-keyboard" phones for years. The physical keyboards AREN'T any easier to type on, and I made more mistakes on them than this one. I hope Apple doesn't change the keyboard, except for giving the nice Safari side-style keyboard accessible across all apps. Oh, and GPS would be the only thing I'd add.

[rehafer @ Jul 9th 2007 12:12AM]

I agree totally about the touch keyboard, those tiny QWERTY keyboards are worthless to any one with adult sized fingers. Interestingly enough, I encountered the same crazed on forums about universal remotes, some people were like religious zealots about having physical keys on a remote.
Also, I don't live on a coast or in a major metropolitan area so 3G would have done me no good.
Sync-able notes is the feature I would like to see.

[Jason Carroll @ Jul 9th 2007 10:35AM]

I don't even own one yet but just using my friend's I am super fast at typing. You have to trust the system which takes time, but it's well worth it to have the larger screen.

I 2nd, 3rd, 4th or whatever the move for a Gmail App!

[Nick @ Jul 9th 2007 11:19AM]

currently i have a Tmobile sidekick2, not a fan of the device overall, but it has a physical keyboard that i can actually type on. i have big fingers and dont have long fingernails. I find it near impossible to type on a crackberry, blackjack, palm.... i tried the iPhones virtual keyboard and i like it... people going on and on about no sensory feed back by not having physical buttons.. i dont miss the buttons. like everyone else i wish the landscape mode keyboard would be used in all apps. The hit areas woud be just a lil bit bigger and i am so used to typing that way with my sidekick.

But this is the greatest part of the iPhone... they can change it and make an update.

[Sneakz @ Jul 8th 2007 4:53PM]

Upping the resolution to 720 x 480. 8 and 16GB models instead of 4 and 8. The addition of a white model. Black and brushed aluminum is cool but white and brushed aluminum is just straight up sexy!

[MrGam3r @ Jul 8th 2007 5:05PM]

this guy has to be an apple fanboy if he says that iPhones or any phones are sexy. lol :)

[Chris @ Jul 8th 2007 6:49PM]

"this guy has to be an apple fanboy if he says that iPhones or any phones are sexy. lol :)"

So he's an Apple fanboy if he says the Moto Razr is sexy?

[AJ @ Jul 8th 2007 4:54PM]

Push Gmail! Push Gmail!Push Gmail!Push Gmail!Push Gmail!Push Gmail!Push Gmail!Push Gmail!Push Gmail!Push Gmail!Push Gmail!Push Gmail!Push Gmail!Push Gmail!Push Gmail!Push Gmail!Push Gmail!Push Gmail!Push Gmail!Push Gmail!Push Gmail!Push Gmail!Push Gmail!Push Gmail!Push Gmail! Basiclly push gmail. This really isnt apples fault but Googles POP bs is driving me nuts. I refuse to go back to the spam ridden yahoo account that I once had and am just going to hold out for hopefully a soon addition of push gmail by google & apple.

[Ryhan @ Jul 8th 2007 5:00PM]

Yes, gmail would be extremely nice!!! Plus more memory, hopefully via a hard-drive.

[Adam @ Jul 8th 2007 11:26PM]

I can not agree with you more. I deleted my Gmail account and my Google Hosted Gmail on my iPhone cause I was so fed up. I now just use safari to check my mail which is a pain because it does not remember your password or username.

[Iulius @ Jul 8th 2007 4:55PM]

When I read a gmail message on my phone, it needs to sync up to my Mac's Mail application, marking the message read (or replied to or forwarded, etc) so am not stuck maintaining some mail on my device and some on my Mac.

[Jonathan Sessions @ Jul 8th 2007 6:56PM]

Use IMAP. It sync's read messages, deletions, etc.

[SweetBlue @ Jul 8th 2007 6:42PM]

This is known as IMAP and is a Google issue (Gmail doesn't currently support IMAP), not an Apple or iPhone problem. I have two IMAP accounts (including a .Mac one) that work exactly as you describe.

And while they're at it, Google should add Push to Gmail as well :)

[Iulius @ Jul 8th 2007 7:56PM]

I've never had a good experience with IMAP (other than exchange at work). It is slow, and I have so much mail that I typically can't keep it all on the server anyway.

No, this is an iPhone limitation. If I decide to use POP, for whatever reason, I need to be able to access that information on my main workstation as well as my portable device. The iPhone is not a replacement of my desktop, it is an extension and needs to work like that.

I understand IMAP resolves these limitations, but that is a workaround, not an answer.

[MrGam3r @ Jul 8th 2007 4:56PM]

I would change reality so its a year or so later so i don't have to switch to cingular and there would be a new, hopefully better, and cheaper iPhone. But that's just me.

[Nick @ Jul 8th 2007 7:46PM]

Agreed. Screw AT&T/Cingular.

[Tom @ Jul 11th 2007 4:49AM]

AT&T have a 5 year exclusivity deal in the US. You're stuck for that long sorry

[Alex @ Jul 8th 2007 4:58PM]

also, a flash plugin for the browser. much of youtube still doesnt work cuz it hasnt been converted to H.264 and it would be nice to be able just to navigate using safari. alot of web pages dont work also.

[terry @ Jul 9th 2007 10:26AM]

would enable bluetooth to listen to Ipod musics in my car with Bluetooth phone enalbled

[sean @ Jul 8th 2007 4:59PM]

like the picture you have, exactly the same!!

[Lou Griffith @ Jul 8th 2007 5:01PM]

True 3rd party software support... come on!

[Tim @ Jul 8th 2007 5:01PM]

Cut, copy and paste text. A microSD slot. Keyboard in landscape mode option for all text entry apps. Fix memory leak in Safari that crashes it if you haven't done and on/off cycle on the phone for a while. Color-coded calendars in Calendar app. A way to export and import Notes with Notes app. Category support in Notes App. To Do list that syncs with iCal To Do pane. Empty Email mailbox. Delete multiple emails at once. Some games...hell I'll pay well for some good games like Tetris and Bejewelled that would work great with the touch interface. A way to shut off the accelerometer in the iPod app so that when I'm walking with it and suddenly want to switch to the next track, I don't have to hold it upright and wait for the delay in switching back to portrait mode to do this function. 3G and GPS, but that is just a matter of a future hardware version.

Otherwise, you can't beat this thing. the build quality, materials, interface, lots of stuff. EDGE isn't all that bad either becasue of the software greatness. Compared to my TyTN, the web experience rocks, even without UMTS/HSDPA.

[Unregistered @ Jul 8th 2007 8:14PM]

"A way to shut off the accelerometer in the iPod app so that when I'm walking with it and suddenly want to switch to the next track, I don't have to hold it upright and wait for the delay in switching back to portrait mode to do this function."

Pinch the remote control on the provided earphones once to skip to the next track.

[Todd @ Jul 8th 2007 11:30PM]

"A way to export and import Notes with Notes app"

Yeah I've wondered where those notes are stored?

"To Do list that syncs with iCal To Do pane."

First time I heard that one that would be great to add

"some good games like Tetris and Bejewelled"

HOLY CRAP BEJEWELLED!!11ONE I would kill the battery so hard because I'd be playing that constantly :) tetris could be fun if they took advantage of multi touch (put two fingers down and twist to rotate the blocks for example)

[mike schapiro @ Jul 8th 2007 5:01PM]

The only thing I can think of would be (gasp) to add another physical button. It'd be a modifier key, like a shift key, that would let you drag to select text, copy/paste by holding the shift key and using two fingers to tap, etc.

The iPhone does seem to recognize javascript actions (the only evidence I have of this is the Myspace "Edit My Top Friends" page - if you hold your finger down for a moment over a friend, it'll pop up a little window saying 'Action' on it), so there may be a way around needing a shift key, in a software update. Perhaps holding your finger down for two seconds or so, without moving it, sets the click into 'interact' mode.

Other than that, I'm quite happy with the thing.

[craig @ Jul 8th 2007 8:02PM]

Yes, I agree about the additional buttons. You could do cut and paste, drag and drop, and possibly other things. The problem with the scroll implementation is that it precludes other capabilities. Some additional buttons would fix that and there's room at the bottom.

I'd also make the device and screen slightly narrower and the screen slightly longer to create a 16:10 or 16:9 display rather than the 3:2 one. I'd also make it slightly thicker with a larger battery and texture it so it would feel more secure in the hand. Then add 3G and GPS of course. :-)

[mushoo @ Jul 8th 2007 5:03PM]

Seconding the keychain password storage - perhaps tied to the passcode for unlocking your phone, if you set it up? Also seconding file download/manipulation.

Plus, I demand that I be able to add my own ringtones.

[Mike Ley @ Jul 8th 2007 5:05PM]

An 80G hard drive. My 60Gig iPod is already full and the thought of dropping to 8 Gigs is incomprehensible. I would gladly sacrifice battery life for more space.

And also a Blackberry plugin.